Overview

A forced marriage is where one or both people do not (or in cases of people with learning disabilities, cannot) consent to the marriage and pressure or abuse is used. It is an appalling and indefensible practice and is recognised in the UK as a form of violence against women and men, domestic/child abuse and a serious abuse of human rights.

The pressure put on people to marry against their will can be physical (including threats, actual physical violence and sexual violence) or emotional and psychological (for example, when someone is made to feel like they’re bringing shame on their family). Financial abuse (taking your wages or not giving you any money) can also be a factor.

Forced Marriage Unit

The Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) is a joint Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Home Office unit was which set up in January 2005 to lead on the Government’s forced marriage policy, outreach and casework. It operates both inside the UK, where support is provided to any individual, and overseas, where consular assistance is provided to British nationals, including dual nationals.

The FMU operates a public helpline to provide advice and support to victims of forced marriage as well as to professionals dealing with cases. The assistance provided ranges from simple safety advice, through to aiding a victim to prevent their unwanted spouse moving to the UK (‘reluctant sponsor’ cases), and, in extreme circumstances, to rescues of victims held against their will overseas.

The FMU undertake an extensive outreach and training programme of around 100 events a year, targeting both professionals and potential victims. The FMU also carry out media campaigns, such as 2015’s ‘right to choose’ campaign, where the FMU commissioned a short film to raise awareness amongst young people at risk of being forced into marriage, as well as potential perpetrators.

We’re keen that MPs and their staff are aware of how best they can work to support constituents who may be facing forced marriage. The guidance above is available for all MPs and provides background information on forced marriage and describes best practice for supporting victims and dealing with their families.

We’ve produced a factsheet for registrars to refer to when they suspect or know about a forced marriage.

eLearning training for professionals

The FMU has developed a new forced marriage e-learning package for professionals. The modules aim to enable professionals to recognise the warning signs of forced marriage and ensure that the appropriate action is taken to help protect and support all those at risk.

Outreach programme

The FMU runs an outreach programme across the UK to raise awareness of forced marriage. FMU has delivered outreach events to a number of statutory agencies and organisations across a range of sectors, including:

We would also be grateful for your feedback on our outreach programme if we come to speak at your event. Please complete our short survey.

Our publications and other resources

The FMU has a number of free publications. These range from leaflets and posters to statutory and practice guidelines. If you would like to order hard copies of these publications, please email your request stating:

which publications you would like (please see list below)

how many of each

your full postal address and a contact number

While there are no set limits on how many copies you can order, we ask that you think realistically about how many you need. If we are unable to send you part of your order, we will contact you to let you know. We aim to dispatch all requests within 10 working days. Alternatively, you can download copies:

Leaflets

Cards

Marriage: it’s your choice:
(PDF, 231KB, 2 pages)
these are business-card sized and contain contact details for the FMU. They can be given to any potential victim. They are small enough to be placed in wallets/purses

But it’s not fair (by Aneeta Prem)

‘Right to choose’ campaign videos

The Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) recently launched a short film aimed at deterring potential forced marriage perpetrators. The film highlights the devastating impact forced marriage can have on victims and their families, and signposts victims and highlights where victims can turn to sources of for further support.

The FMU also commissioned 3 short videos to highlight the increased reports of forced marriage during the summer holidays. These videos show how to spot the signs of forced marriage and focus on 3 young people all affected by these issues.

‘Right to choose’ campaign audio

In July 2016 the FMU produced an abridged audio version of its Right to choose: Consequences of forced marriage video. The FMU also commissioned the audio in 5 additional languages: Arabic, Bengali, Punjabi, Somali and Urdu.

Animated documentaries

The British High Commission in Islamabad has commissioned short animated documentaries on the issue of forced marriages in Pakistan in an attempt to raise awareness of this human rights violation, the consequences of which include domestic abuse, divorce, honour killings, child abduction, abandonment, isolation, and family break-ups.